The Noble and His Servant
by tikinottyki
Summary: Psyche! Zero was in trouble; not only was he being framed, but he learned that his entire future was being manipulated due to his blood contract with Kaname. How far is Zero willing to go to free himself of his debt to Kaname and the Hunter's Association?
1. Chapter 1

"What? Another victim was found?"

The man across the table nodded, a solemn expression covering his usually gleeful smile. "That makes it the fourth one this week. From what the Association could gather, all of them were prostitutes in the downtown area. Evidence clearly shows that the killer is a vampire."

I leaned back in my seat, running my long fingers through my silver hair. This case really annoyed me; so far, all the vampire hunters assigned to kill the killer have yet to find out an identity. Deep down, I knew I could do much better, but so far I was never given the chance. "It looks like we have a 'Jack the Ripper' wannabe," I stated. "I can't imagine this being the work of a pureblood; none that I know would stoop to such a low level."

However, I wanted it to be a pureblood. I wanted the identity to be someone I knew, someone who used me and took what dignity of being human I had left. Whenever I thought of him, my fingers twitched for my gun.

"Who knows? Maybe it's a pureblood trying to make a point; maybe it's a crazed Level E. No one is certain at this point," the Chairman replied.

Tilting my head to the side, I sighed and gazed out the window to the dark clouds and watched the beginnings of snowfall. Snow. Yuki.

Yuuki.

"Have you heard from her? It's been over a year now," I mumbled as I turned my eyes from the window.

The Chairman shook his head. "No, I thought don't think Kaname would do anything to hurt her. She's probably doing fine," he replied.

I stood quickly, turning my back on the Chairman and stuffing my hands in my pockets. "I'm going."

"Wha-? Don't leave me, Kiryuu-kun! It's been so long since we've been able to talk!"

"... I saw you yesterday..."

He lowered his head, the sandy colored bangs falling before his glasses. "You're angry with me... because I mentioned Kaname?"

I glared at him from over my shoulder. "Don't say his name in my presence. As much as he claims that he loves her, I know he's up to no good. Something... just doesn't settle right with me."

Once outside, I looked up to the dark sky, letting the small snowflakes melt away on my cheeks. I sighed deeply, forcing myself to walk forward and head towards downtown. With my luck, I would run into another vampire or two on the list, I might even meet this 'Jack the Ripper'.

Although it was late in the evening, downtown was alive and bright. Apparently, it was some festival celebrating the coming of winter, but I could honestly care less. I had grown more and more sensitive to light, and walking down the bright streets gave me a headache. All I wanted now was to go to my worn down apartment and crash. However, luck just so happened to come my way... or rather, I stumbled upon it. As I passed by a dark alleyway, the air became thick with the scent of blood. I paused, breathing in the tempting scent and longing for a taste. I thought better of it, digging in my pocket for the pack of blood pills and popping five dry. "Looks like someone's having a feast tonight," I said to myself.

The alleyway was dark and cold, even more so than in the streets. As I ventured down the long winding way, the smell of blood grew stronger and stronger. My heart gave a lurching leap when I came to the end of the road; there, lying in a great pool of blood, was another victim of 'Jack the Ripper'. Her stomach had been expertly ripped open, the innards strewn about in an organized manner. The dark dead eyes stared back at me hauntingly.

"You're a mess," I said to myself.

The mark on my neck began to burn like it had every time I longed for blood. I tried to rub away the stinging, but it was useless at this point. Kneeling down next to the body, I gently turned the woman's head to the side. "Hmm... no bite marks. I guess the bastard wasn't finished with you yet," I said softly. "Too bad for you."

Something moved behind me, something I didn't sense before. Spinning on my heel, I pulled out the Bloody Rose and aimed it at the nothingness that was there. "Who's there?" I hissed.

Instead of receiving a legitimate answer, an invisible force knocked me backwards into the wall. When I stood up again, whatever was there had long gone. "Damn," I whispered to myself. Warm blood trickled down my lip and chin from where I had hit my face against the wall. Wiping the blood away, I muttered, "This guy annoys me..." I turned back to the dead prostitute, wrinkling my nose. "Look at the trouble you got me in," I growled. As I bent to cover up the body from the eyes of any passerby's, my coat and hands were soaked in blood. "Damn it... this was a new coat, too. The Chairman will be asking me why my clothes got spoiled..."

"The Chairman already knows why you've blood on you Kiryuu Zero."

The voice shocked me. Turning quickly, I saw a small group of fellow vampire hunters behind me, all with weapons drawn. A small smile spread on my face. "Hey, you're just in time. The guy just escaped, but if we hurry, we can catch him." When no one made an attempt to go after the vampire, my smile quickly fell. "W-what's going on here?"

"Kiryuu Zero, you have been added to the executions list for the murders of the 'Jack the Ripper' victims. Do you have anything to say before you're exterminated?"

My eyes widened in shock. "What?! No, I didn't kill anyone! I didn't do this!"

The man in front smirked. "Really? The blood on your clothes and lips say otherwise," he said sarcastically.

I lightly touched my finger to my lips, feeling the warm blood. No... this wasn't right. I could have sworn I wiped it off. "Are you serious? I got kicked in the face, you dumbass!"

"Don't try to be the victim, Zero," a new voice said gruffly as a man emerged from behind the crowd. I felt my heart stop.

"Yagari... sensei..."

He walked up to me, holding a sealed envelope. "We have orders to bring your head back to the Hunter's Association. It's best that you not fight back," he stated.

I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. "You're going to kill me? The one you wanted to appoint as president of the association?"

Yagari's face turned grim as he stared hatefully back to me. "Zero, don't try to change the subject. It doesn't matter who you are and what you've done in the past; all that is relevant is that you stand accused of murder."

Taking a step back, I laid my hand on my gun. "Don't think I'm gonna let you kill me; if you want my head, you're going to have to take it!"

Another man in the group tilted his head, grinning. "We can do that," was all he said.

That's when I realized how unprepared I was for this fight. Though I had a gun, it was an anti-vampire weapon; it was no use against humans. However, every weapon, be it gun or blade, could be used effectively against me. When the group lunged forward to attack me, I had no choice but to turn and run. The group yelled after me, calling me obscene terms I called vampires. I looked back over my shoulder to see how far back the group was; I had no idea I was running so fast. Was this a power I acquired now that I was a vampire? Or was my fear of death taking a hold on me?

I tried not to let these thoughts keep me from running; although I've had a shitty life and a dim future, there was no way in hell I'd go down without a fight. I was different from before. A year ago, I would have gladly pulled the trigger on myself, but I have matured since then. Now, a year after the beast within me awoke, I had to live in order to keep it from fully taking over.

The sound of a gunshot broke me from my thoughts. Up at the front of the road was Yagari-sensei, his gun cocked and ready. I skidded to a halt, quickly turning and knocking down a food stand. But it was already too late; the gun went off and before I knew it, I was stumbling over my own feet with a bullet in my shoulder. Cursing under my breath, I slipped out of sight onto the main road leading out of the city, hidden among the crowd of festival-goers. Someone grabbed me roughly by my wounded arm, pulling back into the crowd.

"Bastard! Let go of me!" I shouted angrily before raising my fist.

"Kiryuu-kun, stop. It's me."

My eyes widened at the familiar face. "Cross! You're not here to kill me too, are you?" I asked cautiously.

He shook his head. "No; I know you're innocent. Go. Get out of town and I'll buy you some time. Kiryuu..." He paused, gripping my arm tightly. "Be safe."

I nodded. "Yeah, you too."

Time seemed to fly by so fast. Before I knew it, I had run out of the city and into the countryside. The snow began to fall heavily; already two inches covered the ground with more to come. My shoulder throbbed and ached as the wound tried to heal over the bullet, but anti-vampire bullets don't mix well with me. After a while of running, I stopped to catch my breath. I didn't realize how tired I was until now; the cold weather chilled my bones and sent me into a shivering fit, which didn't help much with my aching muscles and limbs.

"You... what do you want now?" I asked through clenched teeth.

Standing behind me was another vampire hunter, the leader of the group back in town. His weapon, a two foot long serrated machete, was held at the ready. So... he followed me all the way out here?

"Don't think that you can run from us that easily, vampire," he growled.

I turned to face him, a smirk spreading my lips. "So I'm just 'vampire' now? Now I know what I really meant to the association. Where did your buddies go, huh?"

A scowl distorted the man's face. "That Cross Kaien... he messed with us, but I was no fool. I knew he was covering for you," he replied. Then he smirked. "I see that old man Yagari got you pretty good."

I placed my hand over the wound on my shoulder. "Yeah, but he's not here to finish me off, is he?" I asked sarcastically.

The man's brow rose. "Is that a challenge?"

"Not at all." Here, I threw Bloody Rose off to the side and spread out my arms. "Here, have at it... if you're man enough."

My last comment cracked him; with a yell, the hunter sprinted towards me, the machete aimed for my chest. Before he got to me, I maneuvered around him and caught him from behind, bending his arm behind him with one hand and craning his neck to the side and clamping my fangs into the tough skin. Warm blood dripped from the wound and trickled down my chin, staining my shirt collar. The machete dropped from the man's grasp as he fought against my hold, but soon enough he went limp.

After retracting my fangs and letting his lifeless body crumble to the snow, I stood in shock. That was the first human I had killed, the first blood I had in over a year. What do I do now? I hungered for more, but at the same time, I regretted my actions. I truly had become a blood thirsty being.

"Sorry, old man, but you left me no choice," I muttered as I turned and wiped the blood from my lips.

"Who said... you ever had a choice?"

Next I knew, the machete had buried itself deep in my chest, breaking through my chest cavity and piercing the one organ I truly needed to survive. At first, I felt nothing, but stood there numb with wide eyes. When I tried to pull away, however, the notches in the blade caught on my rib cage and sent me into a tantrum of guttural gasps and painstaking yells. I turned quickly, snapping the blade in half with a good four inches still left in me. I fell heavily to the snow, twitching as if I was having a seizure. All around me, the snow turned red with blood, my blood. The blade felt so cold, an iciness that would never go away. Craning my head back, I waited to turn to dust and have my sad example of a life over and done with. However, I saw something in the distance: a small figure with long hair and a black jacket. Large brown eyes stared back at me, unmoving. I couldn't help but smile weakly to myself; I knew those eyes.

"Yuu...ki?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, stop the bleeding!"

"I'm trying to, Master Aidou, but I can't do anything with you hanging over my shoulder like this."

_What's going on? Why is everything so dark? Why… do I hurt?_

"Kaname-sama, the lady will need to leave. I can't take out the weapon knowing she's about to have a fit."

I heard Kaname whisper softly and a door open and shut. So… he was here, too? Out of any person in the world that could have saved me, why did it have to be him?

"Is there anything we can do to help, doctor?" Kaname's voice said loud enough for me to hear.

"Yes; someone or two will need to hold him down. If he wakes up and thrashes about, he'll only injure himself more… possibly even kill himself."

"Aidou, will you help me?"

The doctor sounded shocked. "K-kaname-sama! A pureblood prince such as you should not have his hands by stained by such a lowly being!"

_Tch… I thought I liked this guy, but he's just as pompous as the rest of them._

I could feel heavy pressure on both of my arms, holding me down and tightly. My blurred thoughts still couldn't understand what was going on, though I had a sinking feeling that I wasn't going to like at all. "On my count," the doctor breathed. "One… two… three!"

The sound and feeling of the notched blade being ripped from my chest was enough to shock me awake. I cried out in agony, throwing my head backwards and arching my back as I fought against Aidou and Kaname. My eyes felt as if they were rolling in my head, unable to completely focus on one thing. This pain was worse than when I first got impaled. This was sheer torture.

"Hold him still! I can't stop the bleeding if he's thrashing about like this!"

I dared myself to look down at the gaping wound in my chest and nearly died at the sight. So much blood, and was that my rib protruding from the gaping wound?! I began to feel sick to my stomach and let my head fall back again. "Oh… God…" I gasped.

The doctor pressed all his weight against the thick white towel on the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding; the white quickly gave way to the crimson red. A worried expression darkened the man's face. "He'll bleed out at this rate…" he muttered.

My breaths became short and hoarse as I fought the overwhelming shock. Aidou looked down to me, his eyes filled with worry. "Come on, Kiryuu-kun, fight it!" he encouraged.

Kaname looked neither anxious nor nervous; he wore a very calm expression, his dark eyes unmoving and emotionless. It seemed to me that every time I was hurt or unstable, he looked the same way: uncaring. "You…" I managed to growl before falling into a deep, black sleep.

_Gah! What will happen to Zero next???_

"Stop pretending to sleep, Kiryuu-kun. You're out of harm's way now."

I slowly opened my eyes to a dark room; Kaname was sitting in a chair beside me, his hands folded together. As I sat up, the sharp pain returned to my chest. "God…" I hissed as I leaned against the head board of the bed and gripped my chest.

"You've been asleep for two days now; everyone thought you were going to die back there," Kaname's smooth voice stated.

Baring my teeth, I replied, "Don't act all sympathetic now."

Kaname chuckled lightly. "Oh? So you still hate me, even after all this time has passed."

The bandages around my chest and ribcage pulled tightly as I twisted my body away so my back was to him. "Even though you know I hate you, why did you save me? It would have been easier if you let me die," I said with a scowl.

"It wasn't my decision to save you; it was Yuuki's."

I turned back around to face him, my eyes wide. "What?"

Kaname leaned back in his chair, facing the window. "We smelled blood, and she was determined to have a look outside. By the time she found you, you were on the brink of death. She begged me to help, so don't think that you were saved on my behalf."

I lowered my gaze from him. "Yuuki…"

"Why were you running?"

_What? How did he know I was running?_

"… I'm being hunted; the association seems to think I've killed innocent people."

"Have you?"

"No!"

Kaname's brow rose. "So you suggest you're being framed?"

I shrugged. "Hell if I know; I don't even know why they would frame me."

He let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "You're so careless," he muttered.

My eyes narrowed. "Me? Careless? If you call trying to cover up a body that's been ripped open and getting attacked at the same time, then be my guest. I was just doing my job."

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

My breath hitched. "What?!"

The other vampire glared at me. "Don't play stupid with me," he began. "I can tell. You want blood; no, you need blood. With all that you lost, it's only logical that you feed."

I rubbed at the mark on my neck which had suddenly begun to burn. "Stop… tempting me. I wasn't thinking of it before you said anything," I said with a low growl.

He moved from his chair, sitting on the edge of the bed and undoing his collar. "I'm not tempting you, Kiryuu-kun; I'm stating fact. Any normal vampire would have gone crazy by now."

I hated to admit it, but he was right. My heart began to pound wildly and a raging headache throbbed at my temple. Already a burning heat flowed through my veins. I wanted blood… now. "No… I can't do that…"

Kaname tilted his head to the side, exposing his pale neck. "This is not a request, Kiryuu-kun. This is an order."

I tried to pull my gaze away, but I couldn't help but stare. My mouth began to water at the very thought of blood even though I tried to fight the system. However, my body acted differently from my thoughts; my mind was screaming, 'No! Don't do this!', but my fangs and thirst for blood got the best of me. Leaning to the side, I gripped Kaname's shirt tightly to hold my weak self up; my heart skipped several beats as I got close enough to smell his skin. As soon as I got close enough to touch my fangs to his neck, I slunk away. "I… can't do this…" I breathed.

"You have to if you want to live," Kaname whispered in return.

He ran his fingers through my hair and pushed my head down further. Closing my eyes, I let the beast inside control me and sunk my fangs into the pale neck. The taste of the vampire's blood had grown dead to me after a year of going without it; now, as I drank in every drop earnestly, my yearning for blood grew strong. My body became alive again, the pain in my chest and head quickly dying away. As I craved for more, I took a hold of Kaname's long dark hair and craned his head to the side further, lapping up any drop I might have missed.

Then reality and my thoughts took control again. The thirst of the beast had died and I, Kiryuu Zero, was awakened. I released my hold on Kaname and sank back against the pillows, wiping away the blood from my lips and chin. Kaname was staring coldly back at me. "Did you get enough?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

I could only scoff. "It's not like I want to be dependent on you."

"You were dependent on Yuuki once."

My eyes narrowed. Kaname knew he had tread on an unforgivable past, and I was sure he was enjoying every second of it. "That was a long time ago," I muttered, looking away.

"I'm sure it was," the pureblood replied as he stood and tied his collar. Then he paused. "You know, Yuuki is still somewhat dependent on you."

At first, I was surprised by his statement, but the thought that followed made me grimace. "She's not dependent on me anymore; she has you to lean on," I mumbled.

Kaname looked to me from over his shoulder. "You'd be surprised. It's only been recently since she's dared to drink my blood; she even told me her reasoning for it. Do you want to know?"

I scowled, thinking of the answers only Yuuki would come up with. 'Kaname-sama is too perfect to be blemished by my fangs', or 'I'm not worthy to drink his blood'.

"I can only imagine what you're thinking, but you're wrong. Yuuki… she said she still has deep feelings for you."

My eyes widened. Deep feelings? For me? A noble pureblood such as she would care for a lowly being when the man she's loved for so long has given her everything she's ever wanted? "Yuuki…"

There was a knock at the door and an oddly familiar voice said, "Kaname-sama, there's someone at the door to see you and Kiryuu… it's Chairman Cross."

Kaname looked towards the door. "Thank you, Aidou. We'll be down shortly," he called back. Then turning to me, he said, "This case you stumbled upon, 'Jack the Ripper'? We may have found some answers for you."


	3. Chapter 3

I had barely managed to walk downstairs and pull on a shirt before the Chairman nearly toppled over me. "Kiryuu-kun, are you okay?! I came as soon as I heard that you had been attacked! Your wound… let me see it!"

The buttons went flying as Chairman Cross ripped open the shirt and lightly touched at the bandages wrapped around my chest. Feeling my face go warm, I looked away. "Chairman… please…" I muttered.

He gave me a very stern look. "Zero, just let me act like a father for once. You were gravely injured, so I'm just trying to do my part, 'kay?"

Never before had Chairman Cross talked to me in such a firm, yet caring way. With downcast eyes, I could only mutter, "Fine."

Kaname came up beside us, bending down to pick up one of the fallen buttons. "Chairman Cross, that was one of my shirts I let Kiryuu borrow; you know I wouldn't allow for him to walk around with a gaping hole in his old shirt."

Chairman Cross bit his lower lip. "Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry, Kaname-kun. I'll… I'll buy you a new one… or three…"

I looked over to see Kaname shake his head. "Don't worry about it, Chairman. Please take a seat."

With a worried sigh, the Chairman slunk down in a chair. Kaname tapped me lightly on the shoulder. "I'll have Aidou get you a new shirt."

Pulling my shoulder out from under his hand, I slumped back in the seat beside Chairman Cross and growled, "Don't touch me."

"So, Kaname-kun, how is Yuuki doing? Good I hope," Chairman Cross started.

I almost scoffed at his question; since he knew I still had deep feelings for Yuuki, why was he acting so carefree about it?

Kaname smiled lightly. "She's doing fine. Aidou has made sure she's keeping up with her studies. But I'm sure you didn't come here to discuss only Yuuki," he replied calmly.

A grim expression replaced Cross' usual smiling face. "You're right; I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let myself get so off topic." As he said this, he pulled out a small file from the inside of his coat. "This is everything you asked for. Since I'm closely tied with Zero, the Association has been very tight lipped around me. I'll do more digging if I have the time."

Kaname took the file, opening it up like every other pristine pureblood would. It almost sickened me how his fingers gracefully flipped through the pages as if it was out of habit. If it were me, I would have torn that file apart looking for answers.

"This is the 'Jack the Ripper' file?" Kaname asked, his eyes shifting from the pages to Chairman Cross.

"Yes; because no one has yet to I.D. the killer, we don't have any criminal background or witness accounts. The whole case is just… bare." Then he turned to me. "You encountered him, didn't you, Kiryuu-kun? Did you see his face?"

I crossed my arms and looked away. "No… the guy threw me into the wall before I even got a chance to get a good look," I stated.

"Well, that doesn't give us anything to start with, does it?" Kaname sighed as he put the file on the table. "We'll have to wait for another attack."

My lavender eyes narrowed. "I won't allow for that to happen. Five women are already dead; we can't afford to lose a sixth. We need to find out what the hell is going on now."

Kaname shot a quick glare to me. "Don't forget who this person is targeting. I'm sure every vampire hunter is out there right now looking for you. Until we find the real murderer, you'll have to stay here," he said in a dark tone.

When I saw Aidou appear at the entry way, I stood and snatched away the shirt he held. "I'm a vampire hunter myself, aren't I? I still need to do my job." I tossed the de-buttoned shirt on the stair railing and hastily pulled the other one on. Before I reached the door, Kaname had drawn close beside me, his face stern. "What do you want?" I asked harshly.

"Kiryuu-kun, you are still recovering from your injuries. If you move around too much, you may… rip them open again."

At first, I didn't understand what he was getting at, but when I felt his nails dig through the bandages into the wound, it was too late to think it all out. After swiping his sharp nails across my chest and letting me stumble to my knees, he knelt down and whispered, "I won't have you leave just yet. Until you recover, you are completely dependent on me."

"Damn… you…"

I heard the Chairman gasp, "Oh no! Kiryuu-kun's bleeding out!"

Aidou sighed. "I'll get more bandages…" he mumbled before disappearing.

"Kaname-sama, is everything all right?"

Hearing her voice, I looked up to see Yuuki coming down the stairs. She stopped as soon as our eyes met. "Ze…ro…"

With my hand on my bleeding chest, I stood, gazing up at her; our last meeting had not gone well at all, so hopefully this one would be better. "Yuuki… it really is you…"

Her face went beet red. "Kaname-sama, he's bleeding on the wood floor," she stated in a hushed tone.

My eyes widened at her crass comment. Of course she didn't care about the fact that I was hurt and her fiancé decided to rip open my wound again. What really mattered was that I was ruining the precious floor. Although she was my childhood friend, I despised what her vampire nature was doing to her.

Kaname smiled gently. "Don't worry about it, my dear. I'll clean up the mess," he replied softly.

Damn, now both of them were mocking me? I grabbed Kaname roughly by the collar, forcing him into the wall. "Look here, pureblood," I hissed through clenched teeth, "I don't know what game you're playing with me, but it sure as hell isn't funny. You can take your pedigree and shove it up your ass, 'cause I'm leaving this God forsaken house!"

He chuckled lightly, closing his eyes. "My, you really are scary," he stated.

I didn't understand this guy; was he trying to make me angry, or was it his nature to be a prick?

A soft hand touched my arm, a hand I knew all too well. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Yuuki looking up to me, her brown eyes soft and wide. "Zero, please let go of him," she said in a whisper.

Pulling my arm from her touch, I released Kaname's collar and sighed. Even though our once tight bond had gone downhill, why did her words have such an effect on me? Did I really care for her _that_ much? "Fine, I'll stay, but I want to be kept up to date about the case."

Kaname nodded. "I'll be sure to supply you with everything you need," he said in a strange tone. It must have had a double meaning or something, but I didn't catch it until later.

"Chairman Cross," I started, turning back towards the vampire hunter, "have you heard anything from Yagari-sensei or the others?"

The Chairman tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I haven't spoken with them directly, but rumor has it that you're dead and the 'Jack the Ripper' case is solved. If you're being framed, I don't think another murder will show up on the list."

I lowered my head. "Yeah… if another body was found, that would prove my innocence, and the association never likes to be wrong," I said in a low tone.

Aidou finally appeared from the kitchen, a large roll of bandages in his hand. "Man, it took me forever to find this! Come on, Kiryuu-kun, I'll get you cleaned up."

Before following Aidou, I paused before Yuuki, looking down to her with solemn eyes. "I'm sorry for ruining your floor, Your Highness," I stated before pushing passed her.


	4. Chapter 4

"Does that hurt?"

I winced and gritted my teeth as Aidou pressed the hot wet cloth to the bleeding wound on my chest. "Yeah," I hissed, "Just a little…"

Aidou smiled weakly. "I'm sorry I'm the one who has to do this to you, but the wound needs to be disinfected… again," he stated as he pressed in harder with the cloth.

My fingers clenched tightly to the towel rack, knuckles going white. "Damn it…"

When Aidou pulled back the cloth, he grimaced. "Man, that's a pretty nasty wound. You're tough, Kiryuu-kun, if you're able to survive something like that," he said while wringing out the bloodied cloth in the sink.

I looked away, pretending to study the large bathroom; from what he told me earlier, this palace of a bathroom was only the guest bath. When I next looked down to Aidou, his sky blue eyes were narrowed in concentration. It was quite obvious, though, that he was fighting something. "How are you able to control yourself? You know… from your urges?"

Aidou paused in his work, his bright face going dark. "I… I don't know. I guess it's something I've fought off long enough to get used to it. I know I would joke around at the academy, but honestly…" He looked up to me, his eyes solemn and lips drawn tightly. "You must struggle with it a lot."

I raised my brow. "How do you know?"

"Well…" he started slowly, "it's just common among humans who have been turned to vampires. That's why so many fall to Level E."

Level E… how many times have I nearly given up and allowed myself to fall? I woke up every day for the past five years thinking to myself, 'Is this the day? Will I lose myself?'. What Aidou said had a strange effect on me; for once, I thought through my future with a different perspective.

"Kiryuu-kun, I need you to hold still now."

My thoughts broke as Aidou pushed a large piece of gauze to the wound; what I didn't know was that he had soaked the entire thing in alcohol. Fierce stinging rose up in my chest as the solution sunk into the wound. I threw my head back and gritted by teeth to keep from screaming, and my already tight grip on the towel rack tightened further. The excess alcohol, now stained red with blood, oozed from the gauze down my chest and stomach.

"I'm sorry," Aidou muttered. He took a dry rag and dried off the wound, along with the left over alcohol. I, on the other hand, remained wide eyed as I fought the urge to break down and cry from the pain. "Kiryuu-kun, I need you to raise your arms; I can't bandage you up if you're holding on to the towel rack like that."

My hand was almost frozen on the rack, so it took all my strength just to release my grip. I held out my arms, allowing Aidou to tightly wrap a long roll of bandages around my chest. "When do you think this'll heal up?" I asked.

Aidou shrugged. "Who knows? With this being so close to your heart, it'll take a little longer than the wound in your shoulder," he answered. Then he sat back, a wide grin on his face. "There, all done."

I was honestly surprised at Aidou's diligent work. This bubbly kid was actually good at something other than flirting with helpless girls. "Thanks," I muttered.

He smiled back. "Any time… well, not really; just any time you get hurt." He stood, clapping his hands together in admiration of his work. "Well, I guess I'll see you around."

"… hey…"

Aidou glanced to me from over his shoulder. "Hm?"

"Why do you think Kaname has gone this far to help me? He knows how I feel about him."

The blonde vampire bit his bottom lip. "I don't know. Though, if you think about it, Kaname-sama has done a lot for you for reasons that cannot be explained. Maybe you should ask him sometime."

I scoffed. "No way! He'll probably come up with some bull-shit answer like, 'Because you owe me', or something like that," I replied hoarsely.

Aidou's brow raised. "You owe him? Is that how you view it? If someone of nobility such as Kaname-sama allows you to drink his blood, it's not just a debt you need to pay him; you've surrendered your body and soul to him."

My eyes widened. "How do you know about that?" I have never told anyone I drank Kaname's blood, let alone that fact that my fangs have pierced his neck three times now. How did Aidou know?

"It's not that hard to figure out," Aidou replied calmly, "I can smell his blood on your lips now."

"That bastard…" I hissed under my breath, "so he thinks that until I do a huge favor for him, he can control me?"

"It seems so…" Aidou muttered.

I stood, my fists clenched tightly to my sides. "That prick…"

Aidou's eyes went wide. "Kiryuu-kun! What do you think you're doing?! He's nobility!" he stammered.

"I don't care if he's God; I will not be ruled over by a cocky son of a bitch like him. Thanks, Aidou."

Loosely pulling on the new (and clean) button-down shirt, I stalked my way from the bathroom, leaving Aidou huddled n the floor mumbling over and over, "I'm sorry, Kaname-sama…"

Chairman Cross was nowhere to be found when I came downstairs. When I peered into the study, Yuuki looked up with wide eyes. "Zero," she muttered.

My eyes narrowed. Although I had grown up with this girl for four years, the change in her was obvious. Just the way she said my name was different. "Where's your fiancé? I have a bone to pick with him," I stated.

Yuuki lowered her eyes back to her books. "He walked Chairman Cross out and then went down to his study in the basement to look over the case files." Then she closed her eyes, drawing her lips in tightly. "Zero, we're trying to help you. Please… don't be angry with us."

A snicker curled my lips. "Angry? I'm not angry; I'm humiliated. A vampire hunter rescued by vampires will make me look bad. Besides, I'm not the one benefitting from my being here," I replied thickly.

My old friend's brown eyes gazed warmly to me, a hint of softness in them. "It's not our fault, Zero. I've… I've missed you."

"… you didn't sound that way earlier…"

She blushed, saying, "I know, it's just… Kaname-sama might get jealous."

I stared at her for a while, wondering what ever made me think she would choose me over Kaname. She loved that guy for as long as I can remember; there was no place for me in her heart. Lowering my eyes, I mumbled, "Go back to your studies; I won't bother you any more…"


	5. Chapter 5

_*warning, mature content*_

I found Kaname where Yuuki said he was, sitting in a secluded study in the basement of the mansion. The room was dark, save for the lonely lamp that dimly lit the desk and far corner of the room. Other than a few book shelves, a chair, and rug, the room was sparsely decorated, which contradicted the rest of the house. "I figured one day you'd come to me demanding for freedom, but I never expected it to be today," he said as I approached his desk. He looked up from the open file to me, adding, "I'm correct to assume this, yes?"

"Don't mock me," I snarled. "What are your intentions? Why are you so adamant to help me?"

Kaname put down the file and leaned back in his chair. "If you think I have horrible plans in store for you, then think again. I only have the best in mind." He said this last part with a twist to his words.

I slapped my palms against the desk, saying, "You think that little of me? I can care for myself and plan out my own future. I don't need you to guide me."

"Kiryuu-kun, as soon as you bit into my neck that first time, you let go of your future; until I release you from your debt to me, I control your past, present, and future."

His dark eyes stared coldly back into mine. Turning my gaze away, I said, "…Aidou said something along those lines, that I owe you my body and soul. Just how do you expect me to 'repay' this debt, 'cause there's no way I'm going to be held under your thumb for the rest of my life."

With a sigh, Kaname stood and strode towards me. "How, you ask? I can't believe you would ask such a question, Kiryuu-kun. You know the myths of vampires, right? We are beasts by nature with a human form to hide the ugliest side of us." He stopped before me, pausing in his little speech. "Are you sure you want to repay me now?"

My eyes narrowed. "Anything to allow me to rule my own life."

I had expected for Kaname to bite my neck and drink all the blood that he wished, but I was in for a shock. Kaname's expression changed as he forced me against the wall, holding my wrists tightly in his strong fingers. "K-kaname!" I exclaimed.

"It's not like I want to do this," the pureblood whispered in my ear, "but you wanted to fulfill our contract, right?"

Hot lips suckled at the nape of my neck and traveled down to my exposed collar bone. My eyes went wide as Kaname pressed his body closer to mine. This couldn't have been part of the 'contract'. I understood the whole ownership thing, but did it really go this far?

"Kaname, stop it!" I said forcefully, trying to push him off me.

Licking his lips, Kaname pulled back and smirked, a look of which I had never seen before. "You want to be free of my hold, right? Then obey me; you see, although Yuuki and I are meant to be married, she has yet to truly profess her love to me. So for now, just satisfy my hunger."

I couldn't believe the words coming from his mouth. Even though he was coming on to me, he still managed to maintain his dignified manner of speech. First this guy helped to turn me into a blood thirsty beast, and now he was about to rob me my dignity of being a man. I was not about to allow this to happen.

Pushing Kaname away, I moved quickly for the door, but a sudden wind gust slammed it shut. Looking over my shoulder, I watched with fright as the vampire began to remove his jacket and undo his collar. "Kaname… don't do this," I growled.

"Why not? All you've ever done is take from me, and now it's my turn to claim what you surrendered to me," he replied. "If I were you, I would not fight. I might accidentally hit my true target next time."

The shirt was literally torn from my shoulders and tossed to the ground. Next I knew, I was up against the wall again with Kaname pressing me from behind. My arms and hands shook as my heart pounded painfully against my wounded chest. I could only imagine and fear what would happen next. "Why don't you just take my blood instead?" I breathed.

Kaname leaned down close to me, his breath hot on my bare skin. "Why would a pureblood like me want your blood? The only blood that can come close to satisfying me in the blood of other purebloods."

I held my breath hoping that this was as far as Kaname was going to take it; it wasn't. Kaname's nimble fingers quickly unbuckled my belt and pulled down the zipper of my pants. My body trembled as those fingers slid beneath my briefs and took a gentle hold of my manhood. "K-kaname…" I gasped.

Kaname's other hand ran through my hair, grabbing a fistful and pulling my head back. "There's no need to fight me, Kiryuu-kun. I won't hurt you," he whispered before lightly nibbling at my neck.

His fingers stroked along my length, causing me to shake. I closed my eyes tightly and lowered my head in shame. What he was doing to me… I wouldn't be able to live on knowing I was taken advantage of like this. As of this moment, all pride had quickly vanished.

"Haah…"

Quiet gasps escaped my lips as Kaname stroke harder, faster. Cool sweat sent chills down my spine and dampened the tight bandages around my chest. When Kaname massaged his thumb over my tip, I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying out. "Come, Kiryuu-kun. Fulfill your end of the contract," the vampire breathed as he gave a final squeeze.

I gasped and threw my head back as I was released into Kaname's hand. I stood there for a while trying to catch my breath and my bearings, trying to shake off this disgusting feeling. The older vampire released his hold on my hair to push my pants down my hips and passed my knees. Here, I truly began to panic. "Kaname, please… don't do-" I was interrupted when two wet sticky fingers pushed their way into my mouth.

"There's no need to talk, Kiryuu-kun," Kaname said thickly. He pressed his body literally on top of mine, forcing me more into the wall. "Now, just relax."

I nearly screamed when I felt something long and hard force its way inside me. My breaths became deep and heavy as I fought against the stinging pain that slowly crawled up my spine and down my legs. "Oh, shiiit…" I hissed through clenched teeth.

"The pain will pass," Kaname whispered. "Relax." He removed his fingers from my mouth, wrapping them around my hardening length.

"How the hell… can I relax when you're fuc-nyah!"

He began to move slowly with long thrusts in and out. Each push sent more needle-like pain throughout my body, but after a while, the stinging had died away. My stomach and heart alike lurched as Kaname's pelvic movements became shorter and faster. Before long, I was nearly screaming at each and every hit I took, and it didn't help that Kaname wasn't ignoring my throbbing length.

"K-kana…me… I'm-na…. cominggg…" I gasped, unable to control my words.

Light flashed before my eyes as I felt Kaname angle up and thrust in deeper than before. I arched my back, letting out a desperate moan. Kaname took a liking to my reaction, repeatedly hitting the same spot over and over again. My eyes went wide and my mouth, which I had tried to keep shut all this time, opened wide as I cried out, the building pressure in my groin faded as I was released for the second time in this nightmare. Not long after, I felt Kaname give a slow, final push before he let out a soft moan and came as well.

"There now…" Kaname gasped as he drew himself from me, "that wasn't so bad…"

My legs were shaking uncontrollably, I was so exhausted. I fell to my knees, hugging my now defiled, trembling body as if I would never let go. Behind me, I could hear Kaname getting fully dressed, zipping up his pants and pulling his jacket on. Then, as if nothing happened, he stood over me and placed his hand on my head. "Don't think that will cover all your debt, Kiryuu-kun. There's still more to pay," he stated.

I didn't say anything; in fact, I was having enough difficulty breathing, let alone speaking in coherent sentences. Instead, I just sat there, trying desperately to catch my breath.

"I'm going to town for a meeting; while I'm there, I'll see if I can get more information on the case. Don't even consider leaving while I'm gone, Kiryuu-kun."

With that, he tightened his collar and left, leaving me in my pathetic huddled position on the floor. Why the hell did this happen? Why was I being punished for things I have yet to understand? It had been a long while since I last cried, and now, alone in a dark corner, I could do nothing else but sob.


	6. Chapter 6

"Kiryuu-kun, dinner's ready! Aren't you gonna come down to eat?"

I rolled over in the bed, pressing the pillow harder again my ears. "I'm not hungry," I replied.

Aidou knocked again. "You've gone for two days without eating; don't you want something?"

"No…"

The knob clicked as Aidou opened the door. I could hear him walk up to the bed and sigh. "You can't possibly be tired; you've been sleeping like a log for two days," he stated.

I glared at him from under the pillow. "I just said I'm not hungry, so give it a rest," I snarled.

The blonde's eyes softened. "You look paler than usual; are you sick?"

_Sick of being manipulated, yes. Sick of being take advantage of, hell yes. Sick of this disgusting feeling inside me I'll never be able to wash away… yes. _

"No, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired," I replied instead.

Aidou shrugged. "All right. I'll have someone bring dinner up, if that's okay with you."

As soon as he was gone, I sat up and stared at the wall. My mind kept racing back to those few hours before, when Kaname had me up against the wall. Was this seriously the payment he expected from me? If so, then I would rather fall off the face of the earth than fulfill this contract. On top of that, I wanted out of the hellish place. I just wanted to go home.

With a disgusted sigh, I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. Although I had already brushed my teeth twice after the incident, I thought I could still taste my own fluids from when Kaname stuck his fingers in my mouth. I hated the taste. I hated remembering the saltiness of it that only made me think of it all over again. I stood there for a long while in front of the mirror, brushing my teeth and tongue as hard as I could; when I spit it out, there was blood in the sink.

Again, for the third time, I removed the bandages and stepped into the scalding hot shower. I wanted to wash away all feeling of that man, cleanse any defiled spot on or within me, but no matter how hard I scrubbed, I could still feel his presence on me. In the end, I ended sulking to the floor, hugging my knees and balling my eyes out. I've never cried this much before. Never. I've also never been humiliated like this, and I prayed to God it would never happen again.

By the time I had gotten out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, a knock had come to the door. "Zero? It's Yuuki… I brought dinner."

No, not her. I couldn't bear to look at her after what I had been through. If anyone, she was the last person I wanted to see. "Go away; the sock's on the door," I muttered.

Ignoring my comment, Yuuki slowly opened the door; on the floor behind her was a tray of food. "I'm worried, Zero. Please don't push me away," she said cautiously as she shut the door behind her.

I leaned against the counter and sighed. "You know, I could drop this towel any second," I warned.

Yuuki smiled weakly. "You wouldn't do that, not to me anyways." Then her smile faded. "What happened? After you talked with Kaname-sama, you've been acting… weird."

"Nothing happened," I lied, turning away. "I just haven't been feeling like my normal self."

I felt Yuuki's hand on my arm, and looking back to her, I saw an expression that seemed so familiar to me. "Zero, you can tell me. I'll always be here to listen," she said truthfully.

For the first time in over a year, she acted like the Yuuki I had always known, the Yuuki that I loved. But I couldn't tell her this; if her discovery of me being a vampire humiliated me before, then this was more so. I didn't want to tell her what her own fiancé did and was going to do in the future. I felt that if I did, she would break down and have a crying fit. But at the same time, I knew I had to tell her.

With a deep sigh, I breathed, "I've been manipulated for so long, and I didn't realize it until now. I was told… that I was indebted to Kaname after he saved my life so many times. According to Aidou, I owed my body and soul to Kaname, and today…"

I couldn't finish. Instead, I sank down to the floor, covering my face as I thought back to the pain, the embarrassment of the whole event. All of it was flooding back to me now, and it hurt so much just remembering. Yuuki knelt down beside me, her hand on my shoulder. "What Zero? What about today?" she asked urgently.

Throwing my arms around her, I drew Yuuki close into a tight embrace, my face buried against her chest. My fingers gripped tightly to her hair and shirt, never wanting to let go.

"Z-zero!" she exclaimed as she tried to push me off.

"Just… hold me…" I whispered softly.

Yuuki paused. "What?"

"Please, let's just… sit like this for a while…"

She understood, just like she had when we first met. "Of course," she said as she held me like a mother would a child.

I missed this feeling, this closeness. With a tender touch, Yuuki ran her fingers through my wet hair while clinging tightly to my back with her free hand. Closing my eyes, I allowed for the tears to return, rolling down my face and falling on to Yuuki's shirt. To this day, I couldn't think of a time that I cried in front of her. Not like this, anyway.

"It's okay, Zero," she whispered. "I'll be here for you."

"… thank you…"

After a while of sitting like that, I reluctantly released my hold on her and sat up. Yuuki cupped my face in her small hands, saying, "All of this will pass. I know Kaname-sama can be very… demanding, but he has no choice but to follow the rules of being a pureblood. I have these same expectations as well. I'm sad that you're in pain because of him."

I placed my hand over hers, turning my face in her hold to kiss her palm. "I wish you didn't go with him," I whispered.

She nodded. "I know, but I had no choice. I have been betrothed to him since birth, so I can't change anything."

A sudden knock came to the door, and Aidou's worried voice said, "Yuuki-sama? Are you in there with Kiryuu-kun?!"

With a weak smile, Yuuki replied, "Yes, Aidou. Everything's fine."

The door opened and Aidou hesitantly poked his head through the opening. "Oh, sorry if I interrupted anything," he stammered.

"Not at all," I stated in a low tone. "What do you want?"

Aidou's brow crinkled in worry. "Two more bodies have been found, you know, from the case? Chairman Cross is coming by later on to give us the details. This proves your innocence to the Association, right? Kiryuu-kun?"

I thought over what he said and shook my head. "No, it doesn't. It either tells the group I'm still alive, or they'll turn a blind eye to the killer and let him keep killing. Either way, I'm still going to end up guilty for these murders."

This felt so strange. I felt as if I had control again, even though deep down, I knew I didn't. One second, I was balling my eyes out, and the next I'm handling an unstable case. What was wrong with me?


	7. Chapter 7

I sat hesitantly at the table, gazing at the surplus of food presented before me; never before had I seen so much. Looking around to the others at the table, I noticed that Kaname was missing. Had he still not gotten back from town? Or was he down in the office planning a scheme of how to ruin my life further?

"He's still in town, if you're wondering," Aidou stated. "He'll be back later on tonight."

Yuuki noticed the long sigh of relief I exhaled while slumping back in my chair. "We'll be... long asleep by the time Kaname-sama gets home," she said reassuringly.

Aidou's brow furrowed. "Did something happen between you two?" he asked, turning to me.

I shook my head. "Nah, we just got into another fight, that's all."

_Yeah... another fight..._

"Ah, sorry that took longer than expected; my stomach hasn't been agreeing with me today, so I had to make several stops along the way."

Chairman Cross stood at the doorway, a parcel tucked under his arm. A smile spread on his face when he saw me. "Konbunwa, Kiryuu-kun. You don't look as sickly as you did earlier today," he commented.

"I feel sicker..." I muttered under my breath.

The blonde man took his seat across from me, shedding the many layers of clothing her wore. "Man, it's a blizzard out there; I might have gotten frostbite on my toes..." he said to himself, taking off a boot and wiggling his pink toes.

"Cross, not at the table..." I said with an agitated tone. "Didn't you have something to give me anyway?"

He sighed, sliding his boot back on and setting the parcel on the table. "I did some scrounging around at Headquarters and got as much details on the case I could." He patted the cardboard box, a grin on his face. "In this box are photocopied documents and crime scene photos of the original 'Jack the Ripper' case as well as the new one. I thought it would behoove us to compare." Then he turned to Aidou, saying, "My, aren't you cold in that shirt? It's like... twenty below out there..."

"CROSS!"

The chairman jumped in his seat, shocked at my sudden outburst. With narrowed eyes and a grim face, I held out my hand. "Give me the box."

He slid the box over to me before turning back to Aidou and carrying on idle chat. I was lost in another world as I ripped open the packaged and set out the evidence. Now to find some way to sort it all out... On top of everything were the crime scene photos, old and new alike. Taking the photos by victim order, I set the old beside the new. "Hey, these bodies are lined up almost perfectly to the old photographs," I noticed.

Aidou looked over my shoulder. "Guh," he said distastefully. "That looks painful and disgusting..."

Reaching in the box again, I took out a map of Whitechapel province where the original murders took place, comparing it to a map of downtown. "Do you have the addresses of where the bodies were found?" I asked, looking up to the Chairman.

He nodded. "There's a list somewhere in the box," he replied.

I dug around in the box and found the list; with a pen I borrowed from Aidou, I marked the map with the corresponding addresses to each victim. As I compared my markings with the other map, I smirked; my little hunch proved to be right. "Do these two look similar at all?" I asked, holding up both maps for all to see. They shook their heads. After I connected the dots, though, it all came together.

Yuuki's eyes widened. "They all form the same shape!" she gasped.

"Looks like this 'Jack the Ripper' wannabe has really done his research," Chairman Cross stated.

"I'm beginning to think otherwise," I muttered. The 1888 police report was lying at the bottom of the box. I quickly scanned over the many pages, thumbed through copies of the infamous letters, and realized something. "There's not a copy of one of the letters listed here," I said.

Chairman Cross shook his head. "Impossible; that's everything I could find on the case," he objected.

"No, look at this: the report shows a list of letters sent by Jack the Ripper, but one of them in not in this file."

The man took the report, skimming through it. "Huh..." he mumbled, "that seems to be the case."

Just then, the maid of the house came in; an envelope was in her trembling fingers. "Yuuki-sama, this was just dropped in the mail; there's no return address on it." She handed the letter to Yuuki, bowing her head respectively.

Yuuki's brow rose quizzically as she ripped open the letter. The paper inside, old and yellow, looked so brittle in her nimble fingers. "Zero... you might want to take a look at this..."

I carefully took the paper from her, scanning it over. "This letter... is dated 1888..." I gasped. "Signed Jack the Ripper." I looked up to Cross, exclaiming, "This is the missing letter! The one from the police report!"

"Well, read it! It may give us some clues about our next victim," the man replied.

"Okay..." I started with a deep sigh:

"Eight little whores, with no hope of heaven,  
Gladstone may save one, then there'll be seven.  
Seven little whores beggin for a shilling,  
One stays in Henage Court, then there's a killing.  
Six little whores, glad to be alive,  
One sidles up to Jack, then there are five.  
Four and whore rhyme aright,  
So do three and me,  
I'll set the town alight  
Ere there are two.  
Two little whores, shivering with fright,  
Seek a cosy doorway in the middle of the night.  
Jack's knife flashes, then there's but one,  
And the last one's the ripest for Jack's idea of fun."

Everyone was silent after I finished; even the maid was left trembling. I sighed, dropping the letter and running my hands through my hair. "God... this monster..."

"What clue did that give us? I'm not quite understanding it," Aidou asked.

"It means," I breathed, "that we are looking for an eighth body now..."

Cross' eyes narrowed. "It matches; six and seven were found early this morning. This eighth one may be tonight's victim."

I stood quickly, crumbling the letter in my hand. "Cross, get me a list of all the prostitutes in the downtown area; give out orders for each to have someone watching over them. I'm going to meet this bastard where he thinks number eight will be. We can't have another one die."

Aidou stood up as well. "But Kiryuu-kun, you don't know where the next murder will take place! How will you know where to go?" he asked.

Laying out the maps side by side, I pointed to where the eighth victim was found in the original case. "Where ever this exact location marks on our map, that is a likely chance of the next murder. If this guy has kept so close to the facts all this time, he won't divert until he's been caught."

Just then, the maid gave a loud shriek, holding her hand to her mouth and falling backwards. Yuuki and Cross were at her side in an instant. "Kozuko, what's wrong?" Yuuki asked.

"The window! There's a shadow at the window! It's him! It's Jack the Ripper come to kill us!"

I whirled around just in time to see a large shadow move across the window. Grabbing Bloody Rose from the strap around my hips, I ran outside in the snow and looked wildly around. There, by the window, was a dark form. With a yell, I leapt on the guy, knocking ourselves over the railing and into the snow. The gun fell from my hand when the guy grabbed my wrist and twisted it. "Bastard!" I shouted, rearing back and raising my fist high. The guy didn't fight back when I landed a few punches to his darkened face. Before I could really slam him good, strong arms grabbed me from behind and threw me off the guy. "CROSS! What the hell are you doing?! Let me go!" I shouted.

The dark form stood, wiping the blood from his lips and staring at me with dark eyes. The light from the house shone on his face as Yuuki and Aidou opened the door and stepped out onto the patio.

My eyes widened.

I knew that face.

"Kaname?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chairman Cross held me back as Kaname rose to his feet; blood dripped from his lip and nose. "I can't believe you hit me, Kiryuu-kun," he said as he wiped away the blood.

My eyes widened. "I… I didn't know! I… we…"

"We thought you were Jack the Ripper," Chairman Cross finished for me. "It was a precautionary thing."

Kaname's glaring eyes didn't stray away from mine. "I see…" Then he turned to Cross, saying, "Why would you think such a thing?"

"We got a letter from Jack," Cross replied, handing Kaname the crumpled piece of paper.

After skimming through it, the vampire looked up to us. "This arrived in the mail?" he asked.

"Yeah, the maid got it," I replied in a hard tone.

A small chuckle shook Kaname's shoulders. "So, you thought I was Jack the Ripper because this letter conveniently arrived as I got to the house? How absurd…"

"Kaname… what were you doing by the window?" I asked, raising my brow.

"Looking in on my guests and fiancée; do you have an issue with that?"

"When everyone thinks you're a serial killer, yeah."

He lowered his eyes back to the letter. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not Jack the Ripper. I wasn't even conceived in 1888. Though I am surprised…"

Cross tilted his head to the side. "Surprised at what?" he asked.

Kaname folded the letter again, handing it to me. "I didn't see anything unusual; you said that got here before I did?"

"Yes," Cross replied.

"Kaname-sama!"

He turned to see Yuuki run towards him. "Yuuki, did I frighten you back there?" he asked, bending down to her height and completely ignoring me and Cross.

Yuuki grasped Kaname's hand desperately. "No, we're fine. I'm sorry we mistook you for that murderer… Oh! You're bleeding!"

Kaname laughed lightly, wiping his face again. "Don't worry about it; I'm just glad you have someone like Kiryuu-kun here to protect all of you." As he said this, he glared at me from over his shoulder. I thought I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine. "Now, how did Jack the Ripper know where to drop this letter off? You haven't told anyone where the case information was, have you, Chairman?"

"No," Cross said with a shake of the head. "The Association doesn't know where I am at the moment."

The pureblood turned to me, saying, "If anyone, this killer would be after you. He might think you saw his face and has come to give you a warning. If that's the case, he knows where you are."

I felt my chest constrict at the very thought of this hypothesis. "But… what should I do? I can't stay here if that's the case," I stated.

"You can," Kaname replied, "but we would need to hide you away… lock you up, in a sense."

My eyes widened. It wasn't that I was afraid of being killed by Jack the Ripper, but rather what Kaname would do to me once I was locked away. I gripped Cross' arm tightly. "No… I can't," I gasped.

Kaname raised his brow. "Why not? We're trying to help you," he said.

"But… the eighth victim! I know where the next murder is going to take place!" I cried. "You can't put me away when someone's about to die!"

Cross sighed. "Kaname-kun, I have to agree with Zero on this one," he muttered.

"… fine," Kaname stated, "but know that if you run into your own people and get killed, know that your blood won't be on my hands."

I scowled, pulling my arms from Cross' tight grip. I had to stand up to this guy, despite how much my knees shook at the sight of him. Standing tall and clenching my fists, I stated, "I'm not one to die so easily."

Kaname grinned innocently. "Good; I look forward to your performance then."

_(Will Zero catch Jack the Ripper? Or will he become a victim himself? Keep reading to find out!)_

My chest tightened as I waited in the dark alley, nervous with anticipation. Somewhere out on the streets was a murderer looking for his next victim, but deep down, I knew he wouldn't find her. Instead, he would walk down the alley and find me instead, and he would soon find that I was not one to fall to a scalpel.

When several hours passed, however, I couldn't help but wonder if I had made a mistake. I began to pace back and forth, stuffing my cold hands in my pockets and watching my breath in the cold air. "Come on…" I hissed. "Hurry up already…"

"Oi! Kiryuu-kun! Do you see anyone yet?!"

My ears rang as the Chairman's static voice vibrated painfully against my eardrum. "Jesus Christ, can you be any louder?!" I shouted back. "Damn, you almost made me go deaf!"

The Chairman's voice crackled on the ear piece. "Oh… sorry…"

I sighed in annoyance, rubbing my now aching ear. "No, I don't see anyone yet. But it's just now midnight; didn't most of the murders occur between one and three in the morning?"

"Yeah… but who knows when the guy'll show up? He could be there any minute."

Scratching the back of my head, I replied, "Well, I can't wait for him or the girl all night if they don't show up."

"Who're you waiting for, Kiryuu Zero?"

I whirled around only for a damp cloth to be pressed against my nose and mouth. Immediate drowsiness set in as my legs gave out beneath me and I collapsed to the snow.

"Kiryuu-kun? What was that sound? Hey, answer me!" the Chairman's voice echoed.

I fought against the heaviness of the drug, forcing my eyes open. "Cr… oss…" I muttered.

"Tell me what happened! Don't leave me hanging here, kid!"

The hunter's voice echoed in my mind. I felt so… light. Almost like I was going through a natural high. My head seemed to float like a feather on the wind. "I guess… I was number… eight…" my words slurred together.

"Stop talking crazy and tell me what you see. Zero!"

My vision went blurry as a dark figure knelt over me and put a sack over my head. So dark… like nothingness.

"Mr. Jack will be by to pick you up later," a raspy voice said.

_(Oh no! What will happen to Zero?? Will he be ripped apart like the other victims? Or will someone come to save him?? READ more!)_

Next time I woke, I saw nothing. A headache pounded at my head and my wrists ached. "God…" I mumbled. "What the… hell…"

Something grabbed at the sack on my head, pulling my hair with it. Bright light blinded me, stinging deep into my skull. "You thought you would try to outsmart me, huh?" a raspy voice stated.

I blinked back the stinging pain as I tried to make out the blurred form standing before me. "What… do you want?" I stuttered, my words slurring together as if I were drunk.

"What do I want? I want the world to free of sin, without blemishes such as the whores I have slain. Oh, don't look at me like that; they were all mercy killings."

My wrists burned as I tried to wrestle from the tight cords that bound me to the chair. "You monster…" I hissed. "Those weren't… mercy killings. Those were murders."

A rough hand patted me on the head. "Oh, you silly child. You don't understand, do you? You remind me of that detective. Now let me see, what was his name? Abberline? Yeah, that's it. Abberline…"

"Abberline… he worked the Jack the Ripper case… in 1888," I muttered to myself.

"That's right. He and I were good friends until he came too close to the truth. He ended up dying a sad, lonely man," came the reply.

I bared my teeth. "Just… how old are you?" I asked.

The man chuckled, a hoarse cackle that led to a coughing fit. "There's no need for you to know," he replied. "Besides, you won't need to know after tonight."

Rough fingers grabbed about my face, turning my head from side to side. "Oh, you make a good specimen indeed. You have very strong features about you."

My vision finally cleared, and I found myself staring eye to eye with the demon. He looked very old, much older than eighty or ninety. Thin wrinkled skin was drawn taught over a bony figure. His clothing consisted of an expensive suit that fitted perfectly at his sleeves and on top of his head of wispy white hair was a top hat. Despite the devilish look in his eye, he looked like any ordinary old man.

"So… a weak old guy like you is Jack the Ripper?" I taunted.

"That's right, little old me," came the reply as he drew his hand from my face and turned towards a box. "You saw the police reports, right? This Jack the Ripper was an experienced surgeon who carried a surgical kit, yes?" As he said this, he opened the box to reveal many sharp and frightening utensils used in nineteenth century surgery. He took out a large blade, saying, "This kit is very special to me, and to Scotland Yard as well. And now, it will become your best friend."

As he came closer to me with the knife, I struggled harder against my bonds. "No," I snarled, "I won't be your next victim!"

"You should have heard her screams."

I stopped in my futile struggle, staring up to the old man; a nervous sweat broke out on my brow. "What?!" I gasped.

"The girl who came along after you fell asleep. Dear, she was a beauty. Long brown hair and big brown eyes, you know, the type to make your heart melt. Even as I slashed her apart, she was crying out 'Zero!' over and over again until I ripped out her heart. You vampires sure are hard to kill."

_Yuuki… Yuuki was there? But how, she was with Cross! Yuuki… was dead?_

"You… you bastard!" I shouted as I fought harder against my bonds. "I'm going to rip your fucking head off! I'll tear you to pieces!"

Rage burned hot in my blood as the mark on my neck stung like fire. The cords suddenly snapped as I lunged from the chair at the monster. A slow smirk formed on his face. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you," he hissed.

Next I knew, a bony elbow struck me in the face, knocking me to the ground. Before I could attempt to stand, the knife had buried itself through my hand and deep into the floor. I was too stunned to even yell or flinch from the pain. The demon knelt beside me, licking his lips. "It's been so long since I've fed on a vampire… so long!"

I trembled as jagged fangs buried deep into my neck. With wide eyes, I listened as he sucked the blood from my body; it was a sickening sound. My vey life source was being drained from me, and there was nothing I could do.

"Jack the Ripper… it's good to see a face with the name," a voice said.

The fangs retracted as the man turned to see the trespasser. "You…"


	9. Chapter 9

My eyes widened as I looked towards the door, gasping, "Kaname..."

Jack stood, wiping my blood from his lips. "You're... Kuran's kid..." he stated.

Kaname glared back silently, his fists clenched at his sides. "You look a lot older now than you did in the photos, Dr. Chapman," he replied.

The doctor chuckled. "Well, I have been asleep for almost one hundred and thirty years; what else did you expect? You... you look so much like your father and grandfather," he stated.

From what I could see, the wrinkles had begun to fade away and the gangly arms and legs seemed to gain some muscle. The thin white hair looked fuller and had a slight brown tint to it. My eyes widened; was he getting younger? But how? More importantly, how did this bastard know the Kuran family?

"Kaname... do you know this guy?!" I fumed.

Doctor Chapman turned to me, saying, "Why, yes and no. This young lad wasn't even born when I ruled the streets. When the Kuran family lived in London, I was their in-house Doctor. You see, I'm a pureblood myself, and only my talents were regarded the best in all London. I helped your grandmother birth your father, you know."

"But Grandfather found out your true identity, Doctor Chapman. He knew who you were."

The man waved this off. "Oh, come now, Kuran-sama, you say it as if it were a bad thing. Oh? I see now; you've come to put me to sleep once and for all, yes? Do what your grandfather and father weren't able to do?"

"You made a deadly mistake, Dr. Chapman," Kaname said as he took a step forward. "You murdered my fiancée."

The de-aging man chuckled. "I'm sorry, love, but she got in the way of my fun. Well, I'm off, unless you intend to kill me now?"

The room was silent. I could only watch as Kaname stood there, motionless. Was he not going to avenge Yuuki? What the hell was wrong with him?

Doctor Chapman bowed low to the ground, making a grand sweep with his top hat. "I'll be calling it a night, then." He turned to me, saying, "I'll see you around, love."

He was gone. Just... vanished. I stared at Kaname in shock. "You..." I began.

"You're hurt," Kaname noticed as he knelt beside me.

"What the hell?! Are you just going to leave Yuuki like that?! You... you prick!"

"Yuuki's fine."

I blinked twice; those two words, once finally set in, woke me. "What?"

"She's safe; the maid served as her replacement, and ended up getting killed on her way to meet with you. It was inevitable."

"You... had the maid killed? Don't you cherish human life at all?"

"Honestly, no."

I scoffed and looked away. "God... so, she's really okay?"

Kaname nodded as he gently ran his fingers over my impaled hand. He tugged lightly on the knife but when I yelled and slapped his hand away, he said, "We need to get that out of your hand."

"I know, dammit! It hurts like hell!"

Already, my pants were getting stained with the blood from my hand as it pooled into the wood cracks and grooves, but it just hurt too much trying to get the knife out. Kaname lowered his gaze, saying, "We won't be able to go to the mansion tonight; since Doctor Chapman knows that I'm hiding you, he'll stop at nothing to kill us both. I asked Cross Kaien to stay at the house and watch over Yuuki and Aidou."

At first, I was relieved that Yuuki was going to be all right, but then it set in. "We... won't go back? Where will we stay?" I asked. A nervous feeling spread in my chest.

"At a hotel, of course. Unless you want to get killed..."

"Fine, just as long as we're in separate rooms."

"I won't allow that."

"Why the fuck not?"

"You owe me too much."

Soft lips engulfed mine as Kaname pressed himself against me. Blood trickled onto my tongue as Kaname lightly bit my lower lip. When I tried to pull away, the knife in my hand reminded me of my bound state. All I could do was sit and let this punishment rule over me again. The vampire drew back, tracing my face with his finger tip. "You owe me more, though. You got my maid killed," he whispered.

I furrowed my brow. "What the he-"

He pressed in again, his hot tongue sliding in between my teeth and fighting with my own. I could taste my blood on his lips now, which caused me to shudder. Closing my eyes, I let Kaname control me; after all, if I did owe him body and soul, I might as well get it all done and over with. When he pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine, I whispered, "When is my debt paid? What do you want from me to satisfy the contract?"

Kaname laughed lightly. "Why do you want to know? You want to get it all done and over with? Why not draw out the payment, interest included?"

"Just tell me how much I owe."

A small smile spread Kaname's lips. "Your whole being," he said before taking hold of the knife handle and wrenching the blade from my hand.

I threw my head back, unable to yell as numbness curled my fingers and spasms shot up my arm. With a gasp, I fell forward into Kaname's chest and shoulder. "Damn... it..." I gasped. I grasped my bleeding hand, but the blood wouldn't stop.

The pureblood gently stroked his fingers through my silver hair. "You'll be okay, don't worry," he whispered.

"God... it hurts... so much..."

A soft rag pressed against my mouth, and before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep. Damn, not again... I couldn't afford to be unconscious with Kaname around, but if it would ease the burning pain in my hand...


	10. Chapter 10

_*warning, adult material*_

I opened my eyes slowly at the slight pain in my hand. Turning my head, I nearly flipped out when I saw Kaname sleeping beside me. "Oh God!" I cried, falling out of the bed and landing with a loud thud to the floor. I listened as Kaname stirred awake and looked over the side of the bed.

"Kiryuu-kun…" he muttered.

"What the hell, man?! Did you rape me in my sleep or something? How sick can you get?!"

Kaname sat up, running his fingers through his hair. "No, that's not what happened. I was reading a book and fell asleep," he replied. "How's your hand?"

I gasped when I noticed the clean bandages wrapped around my hand. "Kaname… did you…?" I asked.

"Who else?"

A weak smile spread on my face as I looked back down to my hand. "Thanks…" I whispered.

"That means you owe me more, though."

"What?!"

Kaname slid down from the bed to my side, a soft expression on his face. "You know it's futile to try to get out of it," he said as he slowly unbuttoned my shirt. He softly placed his hand on my chest, asking, "Does it still hurt?"

I leaned back and looked down to his hand on my chest. It felt… comforting. Yuuki's hand never felt like this. I… I kinda liked it. "A little, but nothing major," I replied slowly.

"Good," Kaname said tenderly. He leaned forward hesitantly, brushing my hair away from my eyes. "You're not resisting… why's that?"

I shrugged. "I figured that I may as well accept the fact that you pretty much own my soul. Besides… I gave up trying to fight you."

"But…" Kaname started as his brow wrinkled, "I like it when you fight back. It's kinda kinky, and I don't get that from Yuuki."

My eyes widened. "Whoa! I've never heard you talk like that before!" I stammered.

Kaname bowed his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. That's the first time I heard him laugh like that. "I grew to love Yuuki more because she didn't come after me like the other Day Students, but now that she lives with me, it's like she'll never let go. I grew to like it… the feeling of resistance, and I can only get that from you."

I was silent as I thought over his words. "So… there was no debt to begin with? It was all because… you fell for me?"

"Oh, the debt is real all right. Over time, however, I grew very fond of you, and this was the only way to get you closer."

"You weren't trying to make my life miserable?"

Kaname shook his head, his flowing chestnut hair swaying. "No; I was trying to get you," he replied. Then he cupped the side of my face and kissed the bridge of my nose softly. "And now… I finally have you…"

At first, I didn't know how to respond, but sat there and let Kaname's lips control me. My eyes glaze over as those warm lips lightly pressed against mine, and, with hesitation, I returned the favor by pressing myself closer to him.

With a pleased gasp, Kaname allowed for my tongue to slip into his mouth, but then teased me for dominance. Long fingers entangled themselves in my hair as Kaname pushed me to the floor so he was on top of me. I placed my hands about Kaname's waits, drawing him closer in our lip-locked craze. I reluctantly pulled away to drink in desperately needed air, my breath hitching as Kaname's lips and light nibbles traveled down the length of my neck and collar bone. So fiery and yet tender was his touch, a touch that I had never experienced before. The first time something like this happened was strictly business; now, this was bliss fornication.

But he said he wanted resistance, right?

Grabbing tightly about his waist, I flipped us over so that I was on top. A grin formed on Kaname's face. "That's what I like about you, Zero."

I craned my head back as the pureblood slipped his hand down my pants, taking a caressing hold of me. "Nyah…" I gasped.

Kaname peeled my shirt from my body (one handed, mind you) and tossed it away. I took his lead, despite the pressure that built up in my groin, and quickly unbuttoned his shirt and collar. The firm ivory chest below me made my eyes widen. "So… beautiful…" I muttered as I ran my finger tips down his chest and stomach. My attention was drawn away when Kaname gave a light squeeze.

"If you don't focus on me, then you won't be the head," Kaname said before leaning up and flipping us over again. He shed his shirt slowly and drew his hand away to undo my belt and zipper.

I turned my head away and blushed. This was the first time I willingly let someone see me, or rather, the first time I willingly gave myself away. A shudder ran down my spine as Kaname pulled my pants passed my hips, his tongue running over his lips in delight. "You look so beautiful like this," he whispered before lightly squeezing my length.

Shivers ran up and down my whole body as his hand began to pump in a slow rhythmic pattern, the very sight of his shirtless self hovering over me making my heart pound with anticipation. "K-kaname!" I gasped as his hot mouth enclosed around my cock and joined in perfect harmony to his pumping hand. I nearly lost is when his wet tongue slid up and down the oh-so sensitive nerve, but I had to resist the urge to cum. Sitting up, I took a hold of Kaname's soft hair and pushed his head lower on to me. My heart jumped at the sudden suck that forced a low moan from my throat. "This is… amazing…" I murmured with glassy eyes. "Please… don't stop…"

As if to torment me, Kaname drew his hand away and sat up. My eyes widened with shock, to which the vampire replied, "I can't just do as you say, can I? I'm taking my own course."

With a growl, I pushed Kaname on to the bed, undoing his pants and yanking them from his body. A surprised gasp escaped the vampire as I leaned against him and whispered in his ear, "You may be the head, but I'm gonna make you come first." Then, without hesitation, I explored all over the pureblood's body, sucking at his neck and leaving a hickey on his hip bone. With a smirk, I rubbed my thumb across his tip, thoroughly enjoying the fierce blush and quickening breaths I was getting from Kaname. "Oh? You like that?" I breathed on his inner thigh before taking him in my mouth.

Kaname's fingers spasmed through my hair as he fought to control himself; the small gasps coming from such a powerful being made me chuckle inside. This new sound, this new Kaname… it was so cute.

"Z… Zero…" he gasped below me. "I'm… nuuh…"

_That's right… Talk to me… That sweet voice… I can't get enough of it…_

"You're… what?" I taunted lightly as I pulled away, only to be left in shock at the moonlit shimmering body lying below me. I froze in awe, watching Kaname's firm chest rise and fall. "Wow…"

I didn't expect for Kaname to grab me roughly, and I certainly didn't expect for him to pull me down on his erected cock. Throwing my head back, I let out a gasping cry as a familiar pain numbed my legs and tingled my spine. I bared my teeth, fighting off the urge to break down. "Kan… ame…" I hissed. "You… cocky bastard…"

The pureblood leaned back on his elbows, saying smoothly, "You said I would be the one to come first, so I'm just making sure that doesn't happen. Relax."

My toes curled as my fingers flaired out on his chest as he slowly withdrew himself to the tip and then drove in to the hilt. Each painful jolt became less and less and more orgasmically amazing. Soon, Kaname was literally slamming up into me; I'm sure pedestrians outside could hear my voice: "Oh God… na-Kaname… don't stop fuc-aah…"

Before my numbed mind could comprehend what was going on, Kaname had turned us over again and drew my legs under his arms. I grabbed on tightly to him, digging my nails into his back as I was lost in ecstasy and screamed Kaname's name over and over again. The pressure in my groin became almost unbearable, and Kaname's constant moving inside me wasn't helping. "Kaname… aah, fuck… I'm comi-Aaah!"

I wailed as Kaname struck the amazing place within me, leaving me gasping for precious air. He chuckled lightly. "I like that…" he murmured, "when you scream… it kinda… makes me want to… scream…"

Several more cries escaped my throat each time Kaname hit the spot over and over. I couldn't take it anymore; I was about to die from the building pressure, and I needed to be released. Arching my back, I let out a final cry as the hot sensation burst inside me, my juices easing the friction between our bodies. Kaname gave a few more thrusts before he too craned his head back and moaned. I clenched my eyes shut as the fulfilling feeling spread through my tired body. With Kaname asleep on top of me, I too slipped into a deep slumber.

This bliss fornication… I decided I would never be able to get enough it…


	11. Chapter 11

"_Thank you for _looking_ after Yuuki. No, everything's fine here. We'll be back later on today, maybe for dinner. Okay, see you later."_

I slowly opened my eyes at the sound of Kaname's voice. He was standing in the corner of the room, just about to set down his cell phone. A towel was wrapped around his waist and water dripped from his hair and rolled down his back. "Mornin'," I said sleepily.

Kaname turned, a smile on his face. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

"A hell of a lot better than yesterday," I replied, sitting up and scratching my head. "God, I could go to sleep for another two or so hours. I'm exhausted…"

"I don't blame you."

I looked outside the window, studying the dark sky. "It's going to rain today," I said with a sigh.

"Pity… I wanted today to be sunny," Kaname whispered as he took another towel to dry his hair. "It's late in the day, Zero-kun. Doctor Chapman will not be easy to find again, so we'll have to work fast."

"Yeah," I muttered. "Hey, what that guy said last night… was it true?"

Kaname paused, his arms raised over his head and the towel falling over one side of his face. "Doctor Chapman? Yes, he did once serve the Kuran family. My grandfather had put him to sleep after he was convicted of being Jack the Ripper, but it seems that whatever bond my grandfather used failed."

"Why not kill him? That would've been a lot easier and we wouldn't be dealing with this shit," I stated.

The pureblood sighed, looking away. "I don't know. The guidelines for purebloods were different back then, so maybe Doctor Chapman was spared due to his heritage." He pulled on a shirt and pants, adding, "Although we were once connected to Doctor Chapman, my family did not uphold his reasons for killing."

I leaned my head back, saying, "He said he wanted a world without blemishes… what do you suppose he meant by that?"

"I don't know. What do you want for breakfast?"

"Huh?"

"There's a café not far from here, so I figured I'd go get breakfast while you got ready. So, what do you want?"

"… anything…"

Kaname smiled as he drew closer to me. "Anything? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

He leaned down to place a light kiss on my lips before turning to leave. "Hey, Kaname… be careful out there. That guy… now that he knows who you are, he might come after you," I said.

"I'll be fine, Zero-kun. There's no need to worry about me," came the reply.

After the door shut behind him, I sat for a long while recalling the night's events. Meeting Jack the Ripper, Kaname coming in to save me, waking up only to experience the most wonderful thing on earth… damn, no wonder I was so tired. With an exhausted sigh, I clambered out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. I stood staring at myself in the mirror for a while, studying the bite marks along my collar bones and neck.

"Damn, Kaname… you're one hell of a biter," I muttered, shaking out the tangle in my hair.

The water was so relaxing as it sprinkled on my sore body. I leaned my head back under the shower head and allowed for the water to run down my back and shoulders. It felt so peaceful just to stand there and let all the aching and stickiness wash away. I could remain like this forever.

Of course, after staying in the shower for almost half an hour, the water became freezing. I quickly shut the water off and stepped out. Hearing the door outside open and shut, I called, "You're just now back? It couldn't have taken you forty-five minutes to walk down the street and back."

There was no reply.

I poked my head out the bathroom door and saw an envelope on the floor. "Kaname, you'd better not be playing a trick on me," I stated, wrapping a towel around my waist. Picking up the envelope, I noticed there wasn't a return address.

The stereotypical ransom note.

I quickly ripped open the letter and worriedly read through the messy writing:

_Dear Zero-kun,_

_I hope it's not an inconvenience that I bumped into Kuran-kun on the street. However, due to this conflict, I won't be able to keep him alive for long. You know where to meet me._

_With love,_

_Jack the Ripper_

The letter crumpled in my fist as my heart stopped. Kaname had been taken?! What… this made no sense. Jack the Ripper only came out at night, so why would he take someone in the light of day?

Then I stopped. Where should I meet him? I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. Looking over to the table, I saw that Kaname had left his cell phone. I quickly dialed the house (or rather, 'Yuuki's Cell')

"Moshi moshi? Kaname-kun?"

"Cross! Thank God you answered and not Yuuki! Kaname… he's been taken by Jack the Ripper!"

"Kiryuu-kun, calm down. Tell me everything," the Chairman replied. "What happened?"

I couldn't stop my heart from pounding, or my breaths from quickening. "Jack... he knows Kaname and the rest of the Kuran family. If I don't find them in time… Kaname will be killed and Yuuki will live in danger."

The Chairman let out an exasperated sigh. "God… do we have any leads as to where Kaname-kun was taken?"

"None. In a note he left me, he said I would know. But I don't! I don't even know where to start!"

"Kiryuu-kun… why do you care so much?"

My eyes widened. "What?"

"I know how much you dislike Kaname-kun. Why are you suddenly calling him by first name and worrying over him like this? Did something happen last night?"

I shuddered as my thoughts wandered back to last night. Kaname's touch became real again. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. "No, it's just…"

"I understand what you're going through, Kiryuu-kun. The contract with Kaname-kun's blood? I know about it."

"… how…?"

The Chairman laughed. "I've got mad skillz."

My shoulders sank. "Don't ever say that again…" I muttered.

Cross groaned. "Fine… anyways, I know what you mean to Kaname, and vice versa. I'll do what I can, but in the mean time, think of where to find Kaname."

"I don't know where the fuck he is!"

"Think about it, Kiryuu-kun. Where is a special place for you and Kaname?"

I wrinkled my brow. "Like the office or the hotel bedroom?" I asked.

"What? You did it in the office? I need to go in there someti-"

"Cross!"

He sighed. "Not necessarily place where you got into each other's pants, but rather a place of emotional reconsideration. Think of where that would be."

Closing my eyes, I thought back to many places like that: Jack the Ripper's hideout, the mansion… except…

"I…" I said slowly, "I know where to go… Cross, look after Yuuki, okay? Please don't tell her about Kaname going missing… and don't say anything about us, either."

"I understand. Good luck, Kiryuu-kun."

Closing the phone, I stood there for a while thinking things through. Once I found them, how would I win Kaname back? And once I got Kaname, I explain the contract to Yuuki when (and if) she found out?


	12. Chapter 12

I never thought that I would return to the prison hold beneath the school, and yet I found myself standing before the door leading down in that dark place. It felt as if I had been there yesterday, and yet in reality I knew otherwise. This place… I wondered if I had made the right decision in coming here, but deep down, I knew I was right. Not only was this damned place where I drank my own brother's blood… it was also where I accepted the ugly side of myself due to Kaname. It was here that I was kept from falling to a Level E. My feet were heavy on the cold stone steps leading downward, as if they were trying to drag me back. I had to keep going, though. For Kaname's sake, I had to walk on.

The room was empty when I got down there; it looked as if no one had been in here since I was last kept here. Ichiru's blood still stained the cobblestone floor, and the chains that held me back were covered with dust and cobwebs. I looked down to my watch, wrinkling my brow in frustration. "What the hell?" I muttered to myself. "He said he would meet me… why the hell hasn't he shown up yet?"

A cold shudder tingled my spine and brought goose bumps to my arms. What if this Doctor Chapman proved to be more than I could handle? What would happen to Kaname and me if I was to lose?

"That's why… I can't lose…"

"I figured that young people like you liked to talk, but I never thought you talked to yourselves," a voice said behind me.

I whirled around to see a dark figure standing behind me, still hiding in the shadows. "You… you finally decided to show?" I growled through clenched teeth. "Where's Kaname?"

He waved his hand at me. "Oh, he's fine. I may be a killer, but I am also a man of my word. I wouldn't harm a noble if the ransom was never paid," he replied. Then he chuckled to himself. "I'll have to say, I'm pretty impressed by your intelligence, Kiryuu-kun."

"Don't call me that."

"Oh?" His voice had a strange tone to it. "Would you rather I call you something else? Like… Zero-kun?"

I scoffed. "You aren't my friend or my lover, bastard," I hissed.

Chapman stepped out from the shadows, and my eyes widened at the sudden change in him. The wrinkles… they were all gone. Pale smooth skin like a baby's had replaced the wrinkles and age spots. Thick brown hair flowed down to his shoulders, his bangs sweeping across his brow. He seemed taller, too. Cold black eyes glared back at me, eyes of that of a murderer.

"You…" I gasped, taking a step back, "you've changed…"

"You've noticed?" he asked, flipping his hair back and patting down the next suit he wore. "After I left you and Kuran-kun, I decided I needed more blood. You're blood… it seemed to awaken something inside of me I haven't experienced in over a hundred and thirty years. It wasn't hard to find them; their blood… I could smell it from a mile away."

_Shit… _

This wasn't the old grandpa I was dealing with earlier; this was a man about Yagari-sensei's age, and more powerful. Still, I knew what I had to do. Furrowing my brow, I pulled Bloody Rose out from under my coat and pointed it at the doctor. "You will tell me where Kaname is now, or else I'll make you regret it, you son of a bitch."

He leaned his head back and outstretched his arms. "Fine. Go ahead and shoot me; if you know the powers of the purebloods, you'll know it won't work."

My hand shook as I held the gun. I knew he was right. I would never forget Shizuka's words that day I first shot her:

"_You know that won't work on me, Zero…"_

I sighed, lowering the gun to my side. "You're right, maybe it won't work right now. However, I may have more than one trick up my sleeve."

A thin smile spread on Chapman's lips. "Good. I want to be entertained tonight." He then started to dig in his pockets, muttering to himself, "Bloody hell, where'd I put that thing?"

"Hey. I should be your focus right now, not whatever the hell is in your pocket," I said angrily.

Black eyes gazed up to me. "I'm busy right now; I guess you wouldn't mind sitting patiently and waiting, right?"

"Bastard!"

I took a step forward only to realize I couldn't move. A tight feeling clamped around my wrists, and when I looked down, my eyes widened at the chains wrapped around my arms. "When did you…?"

"I don't need to explain myself, do I? Oh, found it."

He held up a key, walking up to me and saying, "This is the key to the room where Kuran-kun is locked up. If you take this from me, then you win. However, if I kill you before that, then the Academy students will find his body parts strewn across the front lawn in bloody pieces. Do we have an understanding?"

"Once you release me, then I'll understand completely," I replied sarcastically.

"Don't be so impatient." Here, Chapman leaned his head back and swallowed the key.

My eyes shook with rage. "WHAT THE FUCK??!! How am I supposed to get that from you?!" I cried, fighting against the chains.

"Simple," he replied with a smile. "You'll have to cut me open; the kit's over there if you need it. There, now you can be released."

The chains fell from my wrists, and before I knew it, I reared Bloody Rose back and swiped it across his face. He fell backwards, allowing me to pin him to the ground and shove the gun point at his forehead. "You monster… I'll make you pay for what you did to those women, pay what you did to me, and pay for what you are doing to Kaname. I'll make sure that when I leave this place, your blood will cover every inch of every stone."

He closed his eyes, chuckling lightly. "I'd like to see you try," he whispered.

I was thrown back against the wall by a sudden rush of air, the air knocked from my lungs. Before I could catch my breath, Chapman grabbed my forehead and cracked the back of my head against the stone. He held up a long knife, saying, "Every one of my victims were filthy… they were a disgrace to this planet, and they needed to be destroyed. And you, my dear Zero-kun, have fallen to such a level as they."

"No," I gasped. "I'm not…"

The blade cut across my chest, the old wound from only four days ago opening again. My eyes went blank as he released my head and I slid down to my knees. He bent to my height, grabbing a fistful of hair and hauling me off the ground. "You know, I thought I would get more out of you," he mocked. "Maybe a scream or something, but this… this is pathetic."

It hurt… it hurt so much, this pain. Blood was pouring profusely from the deep wound, staining my shirt and mixing with my brother's dried blood on the floor. But I had to win… I had to keep living to win…

"I… won't die that easily," I rasped, holding up Bloody Rose. "I'll… kill you with one shot…"

Chapman scoffed. "I just said that won't work; a gun like that is useless," he said.

"Really? You don't know the true nature of… this gun…"

I pulled the trigger, the blast shoving me into the wall again. Chapman took a step back, holding his chest. His teeth were gritted in agony. "That's… an anti-vampire weapon?!" he gasped. "But… how? You're a vampire!"

"No, I'm human," I said as I stood slowly. "I've always been human. I just have an ugly side that needs to be quenched every once in a while, and right now, you're looking pretty tasty."

He looked down to the crimson blood that was oozing from between his fingers. A soft laugh escaped his lips. "Unlike you, I won't die so easily, either."

"No? But you'll die by my hand," I growled as I pushed him around, punching him until I had him against the wall. Coming up behind him, I whispered, "You really have pissed me off quite a bit, Doctor Chapman."

A howl unlike one I've ever heard before echoed in the prison hold as I sunk my teeth into his neck. The blade he held dropped from his grasp as he fought back against me, but my tight hold on his arms and the Bloody Rose pushed up against his back kept him from doing so. His blood was like that of Kaname's… so fulfilling, so delicious. I drank as much as the beast desired, and soon, the doctor fell to the ground lifeless. Taking the knife that he had dropped, I turned him over and took one stab at the heart to make sure he would sleep forever. I sat there catching my breath, holding my bleeding chest; I had to find help soon before I bled out everywhere and died, but I had to get that key. Reaching into his mouth, I was pleased to find the small object hiding under his tongue.

"Somehow, I knew a fool like you wouldn't swallow this," I said before turning to leave. I looked over my shoulder and watched as his body shattered into a million pieces and then faded away. To be killed by his own weapon… what a disgrace.


	13. Chapter 13

I stood before the Night Class' Dorm House, wondering if the key belonged to one of the doors inside. The key wasn't one from any of the Day Class' dorm rooms; Chairman Cross had the keys for each class made differently so the girls wouldn't try to invade the vampire's home in the middle of the night and vice versa. The keys for the regular students were made of pure silver... something a vampire would never be able to touch. Throwing open the main door, I quickly made my way across the lobby and skipped steps up the stairs. Deep down, I knew Kaname was here, so close and yet so far away. How could I tell?

I could smell his blood.

All the doors were locked, which made sense; all the students had gone home for Christmas Break, so of course the Night students wouldn't be here. With a heavy sigh, I began the monotonous task of unlocking every door and scouring the rooms. But I didn't find him. When I unlocked the door to Kaname's room and saw that he wasn't there, I panicked.

What if that Chapman bastard lied to me? What if Kaname wasn't here and was out dying in the middle of the woods somewhere? Then what? How would I find him?

Sinking down on the leather sofa in the middle of the room, I covered my face and thought long and hard. This wasn't right; how come I could smell Kaname and not find him? This made no sense, and I was quickly losing patience... Something was missing, a piece to the puzzle that I was forgetting. What was it?

_"Kiryuu-kun, would you mind if I stole you away for a moment?"_

_"What do you want, Cross? I'm in the middle of class."_

_"I know, but I have important information. The academy is going to be accepting some Night Students this year, and I would like for you and Yuuki-chan to monitor them for me."_

_"What kind of Night Students are we talking about? Is this that Kaname guy's idea again?"_

_"Yes; I've decided to let vampires attend the school, but I need someone to look out for the Day Students as well as the Night Students. You would be getting a lot of privileges by accepting the job as a Prefect."_

_"Do I look like I want the job? I would kill every one of those vampires if they dared get close to me; you do understand that, right?"_

_"Actually, I am not requesting you to do this; it was Kaname-kun's idea that you become a Prefect."_

_"Tch... the bastard..."_

_"So you accept!"_

_"What?! No, I don't!"_

_"You'll need this, then."_

_"... a map?"_

_"It's not a map! It's a blue print of the campus and each dorm house."_

_"... Why do I need this?"_

_"You'll be monitoring all the students, right? These blue prints will help you in case a person goes missing or something. You'll never know; you kids can find some very interesting hiding places."_

_"Huh... I didn't know all the buildings here had basements..."_

The basement... I remembered now, that annoying conversation where I got wrapped up in this stupid game of vampire versus hunter game. Though I've never been in the Night Dorm's basement, I just knew that's where Kaname was. No wonder he felt so close and yet far away.

"Don't worry, Kaname... I'm coming for you..."

The door to the basement was, of course, locked. I anxiously slid the key into the key hole and turned it only to find it would budge. My eyes widened as I tried to force the door open. "Damn it! That bastard... he was playing me!" I shouted as I twisted the key again. It snapped in half, the gold cracking and splintering. "No... no, no, no, NO!" I rammed my weight against the door, but it stuck fast. "Kaname! Answer me! Kaname!!"

There was no reply, and as I pushed and shoved my shoulder into the door, I couldn't help but shed tears. I wasn't about to fail now... I wasn't going to leave Kaname to die down there, not like this. The scent of his blood became heavier, almost crushing my lungs. He was hurt, I knew. And I couldn't get down there to help him. With a final pound on the door with my fist, I sank to my knees and sobbed. "Kaname... please, don't die..." I whispered. I couldn't help but feel so weak. After all the trouble I've gone through, I failed in the end. Closing my eyes, I lowered my forehead against the door and felt like dying.

"Oi. I didn't know I had taught such a weak student; get up."

I turned at the voice, my eyes wide. There, standing at the lobby door, was Yagari-sensei. Behind him was a small group of vampire hunters, several of them I knew. "Yagari... sensei... What are you doing here?" I asked, leaning my back against the basement door. "Why..."

"We received a tip from a Doctor Chapman that he found Jack the Ripper. The guy's dead now with a knife in his chest and bite marks on his neck. Right now, you look the guiltiest."

Lowering my head, I sighed. "I figured he might do something like that... the bastard. I'm not denying the fact that I killed him, but I am denying being Jack the Ripper. I've been played, Yagari-sensei. Kaname... he's trapped behind this door because of that man..."

Yagari crossed his arms, asking, "So, you're saying that the dead man is Jack the Ripper?"

"... yes..."

"... You're bleeding pretty badly, kid."

"Yeah... I know."

"You're dyin', aren't you?"

I leaned my head back, a weak smile on my lips. "I guess I am... you don't believe me, do you? About not being Jack the Ripper?"

"Oh, I think you're lyin' all right," he replied. "But I guess we won't know anything until we get that door open and ask Kuran kid ourselves, right?" He winked.

"Thanks..."

A couple of hunters dragged me out of the way and leaned me against one of the lobby couches. I watched as Yagari lifted his booted foot and kicked down the door. Then he turned to me, saying, "We'll need to teach you how to open doors properly, kid."

They found Kaname down there. When they brought him up, I couldn't help but stifle a shocked gasp. He was unconscious and covered in his own blood. A long gash ran across his throat, just like the other victims. Luckily for Kaname (and me), he was still in one piece. Yagari knelt down beside him, pressing a cloth against the wound in his neck. "He's still breathing, surprisingly. I'm wondering why the wound didn't heal..."

"Those knives... they were anti-demon weapons..."

Everyone turned to face me. "How'd you know?"

"Chapman cut me, and the wound hasn't healed... I stabbed him with his own blade and he's now dead. The gloves he wore must have acted as some sort of barrier from the weapon... that's only a hypothesis..." I replied. "Kaname... is he going to be okay?"

Yagari's face grew grim. "As soon as we get him to a hospital, he should be fine. What about you? Are you gonna be okay?"

Leaning against the couch, I slowly stood and smirked. "I'll be fine; just get us outta here, 'kay?"

I took three steps before suddenly feeling dizzy. Damn... I really did lose a lot of blood... what a hassle... Yagari came up behind me as my eyes rolled and I fell backwards into blackness. "Kid, wake up. Hey, kid," he said as he slapped my face.

"I am awake..." I muttered. "Finally... I'm awake..."

_(Oh no! Kaname is on the brink of death and Zero is fading in and out of life! Will they survive? Will they live on in happiness and love? Read on to find out!!)_

"Good morning, Zero-kun."

I stirred awake as soft fingers ran through my hair and brushed against my cheek. "Kaname... you're alive..." I whispered as I took his hand.

He grinned down to me. "Yeah, I'm alive. Are you?"

I turned my head to see and I.V. drip stuck in my arms and thick bandages wrapped around my chest and hand. My head seemed to sink back into the soft hospital pillows. "Yeah... unless I'm dreaming..."

"Then this is no dream."

"Okay, then I'm alive."

I furrowed my brow worriedly as I reached up and touched the bandages wrapped around his neck. "I can't believe he did this to you... I should have ripped him apart..." I sighed.

"He's dead now, Zero-kun. There's nothing else that can be done," Kaname replied. Then he looked away, blushing slightly. "You came to save me... I never thought that would have happened."

"Of course I did; why would I not?" I asked, sitting up.

"Because... I did a lot of things to you that hurt you," he answered. "You don't have to stay under my thumb anymore; it's safe to say that your debt has been paid off now."

I gently lowered his head down to my face, softly claiming his lips. "I don't want to leave now," I replied as I pulled away. "In fact, I'd rather stay indebted to you for a little while longer."

Kaname's brow wrinkled. "Really? After everything's that happened?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't really care if Yuuki finds out, either. It's not like she owns you or me, right? She'll have to get over it."

"... I thought you loved Yuuki."

I paused, bringing my hand thoughtfully before my face. "I did. But she hasn't quite rocked my world as you have."

He leaned down again, pressing his lips against mine and pushing his tongue into my mouth. I sunk further into the pillows, allowing for our tongues to tangle together and dance. When he pulled away, he leaned his forehead against my forehead. "I'm quite flattered," he said softly.

"Uh-hum... I'm glad that you two have been reunited, but it's best that you both rest."

We turned to see Cross standing there, a smug smile on his face. Kaname grinned as he slid of the hospital bed. "Of course, Cross-kun," he said.

Cross came to the side of my bed, all squeamish-like. "Kiryuu-kun, you look so cute all flustered and defenseless like this!" he stated.

My eyes narrowed. "I'll fucking kill you..." I growled. "Why are you here?"

He handed me a file. "The finishing touches of the Jack the Ripper case. It needs your signature," he replied.

"So... the Association believes me?"

"Yes."

I sighed in relief. "Thank God... I didn't want to run for the rest of my life..." I muttered.

"Don't sigh just like that, kid."

"Yagari-sensei!"

He stood beside Cross, holding another file. "Hurry up and get better. Looks like we've got another case on our hands," he stated gruffly.

I covered my face in annoyance. "What the hell? What's with all the psycho killers out there? Can't they all just die and make our lives so much easier?" I complained.

"Zero-kun, if they all died, then where would all the fun in life be?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kaname smile gently. I couldn't help but smirk in return. "Yeah, I guess you got a point." Then turning back to Yagari, I asked, "So, who got killed this time?"


	14. Chapter 14

_Thank you to everyone who commented/read the story!! I thoroughly enjoyed working on it and reading your reviews! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! _

_So many hours of research went into this story, so I want to thank Wikipedia for the research and stuff. Most of what I put in here is true... or at least, I tried to make it true. The poem that Zero read in Chapter 8 just so happened to be a letter not in the police reports; the original letter went missing, so only a copy is left. Also, it is true that a man by the name of George Chapman (a young doctor who failed to get his degree) was convicted of being Jack the Ripper, though no one is really for sure that he was the famed killer. He used expensive knives from a surgery kit, and expertly was able to cut open his victims with acute precision (much like a Repo man, right? Haha, Repo reference...). _

_I also want to thank Johnny Depp and his inspiring performance in "From Hell" (refering to the the "From Hell" letter received by Scotland Yard police), which is one of the most epic movies of all time. (Besides that, it's Johnny Depp! Who wouldn't be inspired by him??)_

_I'd also like to thank the creator of Vampire Knight and for making his characters so damn hot... man, I wish they were real *squee*, but alas, they are not, and we have to deal with the people on this earth. Oh well. Real life bishis do exist. :)_

_A sequel? Maybe. I'll need to find another crazy serial killer, though *evil laugh* (which shouldn't be so hard to find now these days...) But there MAY be a sequel! Yay, more ink to use on stories!!! _

_Again, thank you so much and sorry for ranting on and on in this thing... damn, I feel like I'm giving a speech for some kind of award or something... _

_THANKS AND LOTS OF LOVE!!!!_


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